


asynchrony

by dimpleskyun (orphan_account)



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Epistolary, Gen, Hacker AU, Mentions of Death, Some minor mention of violence but not explicit, Texting, The Connect AU, Time Travel, alternative universes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-04-16 10:05:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14162463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/dimpleskyun
Summary: Memory #4100000Hyungwon sits in a really uncomfortable chair, it's hurting his back and the fact that his whole body is tensed up doesn't help the situation. He can't help shaking his leg rapidly as he wrings together his hands and stares ahead. He fucked up. Big time.Rule number one:don't interact with humans.Hyungwon should have walked away, non caring, but instead he had felt his heart turn heavy as the human had kneeled in front of him, face contorted in a mask of pain and desperation, pleading him toplease, please, please, let it be me not him. And Hyungwon had watched as the car, once again, flew into the air, spinning around before crashing to the floor with extreme force, bits and pieces flying everywhere, its passenger undoubtedly dead already, his bones crushed, his skin torn, all warmth gone from his body.This time he fucked up beyond repair because not only did he interact with a human but he changed their fates.





	1. dark tunnel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Train Number:** 4155102  
>  **Destination:** N/A  
>  **Arrival time:** N/A  
>  **Passengers:** 1

 

> **Time:** N/A
> 
> **Location:** N/A
> 
> **Dimension:** N/A

_Tik tik tik._

The needles on his pocket watch spin uncontrollably, they never settle down on a specific time. It's been like that for... Forever, he guesses. He doesn't know for how long he has been here.

He doesn't even know if he exists at all or if he is having some sort of dream that he can't wake up from. He doesn't know anything about how he came to be here, he doesn't remember anything from his past, he doesn't know where he is going (if he even is heading anywhere, that is). He doesn't even know if he _is_ at all.

He walks around aimlessly, up and down, up and down. Up and down the aisle of the wagon.

He glances outside but there's nothing. No landscape, no darkness, just nothing.

It's such a hard thing to explain. Nothingness.

 

Time later (what a funny word, time, how does one even calculate it if there is no indication that it passes) he feels his legs begin to hurt and decides to sit down on one of the blue chairs disposed to the occupants of the train. Or the single occupant because it doesn't seem as if there are others on the train (he has tried spying through the window by the door that connects to the other wagons and as he suspected they're empty). So he travels alone.

Is he even traveling at all if the train doesn't even exist? If he isn't on any plane of existence?

But in a way he _has_ to exist if not how could he walk, touch, feel the things around him? How could he think?

 

* * *

   

> **Time:** N/A
> 
> **Location:** N/A
> 
> **Dimension:** N/A

To understand his situation better he tries to break down the information he has: train.

Trains are supposed to bring people from one point to another. A to B, B to C, C to A, B to D. The variations are endless. A train is something that connects one station to another, it transports its passengers around, connecting their destinies together for the short while they all share their ride in the train, until they get out. But his train doesn't move, it doesn't connect, it just is.

It just _is_ in some abstract way.

So is he.

 _Abstract_.

 

* * *

  

> **Time:** N/A
> 
> **Location:** N/A
> 
> **Dimension:** #1157

He wakes up.

That should have been his first clue that something changed but it isn't because beneath his body (which lays uncomfortably sprawled out on the blue chairs) the train rattles.

The train rattles.

The train rattles.

Moving.

 _It's moving,_ he thinks to himself, not being able to fully understand this information yet.

After all this time it's moving, actually _moving_. He jumps up from where he was laying and looks out of the window and at first he jumps back in fear as a young man stares at him through the window. The man in the window jumps back as well and he realizes that it's _him_ staring back. It's his reflection.

Outside there is complete darkness.

He studies his appearance, it's odd finally seeing the body he is, the form he has. The form his thoughts have. He has pink hair that falls gracefully around his face, parted in the middle exposing his forehead; his eyes are big and currently staring back at him in fascination; his lips are full and pulled into a thin line as he concentrates to take in as much as he can from his features. He is dressed in a suit with stripes, that's it, no accessories or anything bigger to identify him. That is except for his pocket watch-

 _His pocket watch_.

He looks away from the window and quickly gets his clock to check the needles, all three of them spin without any sense.

Slowly the excitement ebbs away and he feels the nothingness that usually surrounded him settle into his body, mind, soul (if he has one).

 

Later it hits him, he was asleep when the train rattled him awake.

He was asleep. Sleep, what a strange concept. He can't remember any dreams so he isn't sure if he even dreamed; what would he dream of anyway?

 

* * *

  

> **Time:** N/A
> 
> **Location:** Earth #0115
> 
> **Dimension:** #1157

Sleep becomes something natural to him after the tenth time he falls asleep and wakes up. He gets used to the feeling of not existing for a couple of-

Of. A couple of.

He doesn't dream, at least nothing he remembers. There are small changes happening every time he wakes up, some are more noticeable than others.

This time when he opens his eyes and moves to a sitting position he spots lights passing by outside. It's something new, something that tells him perhaps he is slowly falling into a dimension (if he has not already) and a specific place. He can't help but think about where he came from though.

As he ponders over his existence a lot of time passes.

He knows that because suddenly a much brighter light appears outside, blinding him so he closes his eyes to shield himself, moving his arm in front of his face. He counts to five until finally the light is gone but when he looks up from behind his arm it's dark outside.

One. Two. Three.

Light one passes by.

_Huh._

Suddenly something burning consumes his head, it makes his eyes tear up and he falls on the floor, unable to keep conscious as pain fills his head. It's almost as if someone is writing with a needle into his mind. It's unbearable and he can feel sweat running down his back, he can feel his entire body shaking violently, his eyes burn so much tears start falling.

It hurts so bad.

He clenches his jaw and tries to move his hands to his head to massage it but it's impossible, he is like paralyzed, exposed to the burning pain in his mind. It's not even a physical pain, rather than it literally feels as if something is getting carved into his mind, into his thoughts...

_Chae Hyungwon._

 

* * *

 

> **Time:** N/A
> 
> **Location:** Earth #0115 
> 
> **Dimension:** #1157

Now that he knows his own name change seems to approach more and more. He starts to count things so he can tell when exactly things change.

Three thousand lights pass before the blinding one.

Four-hundred-fifty tiles on the floor.

Twenty blue plastic chairs.

Twenty-five windows.

Six doors.

Seven posters.

Four security cameras.

Two announcement boards.

 

* * *

  

> **Time:** XX/XX/XXXX, XX:XX:XX:XX
> 
> **Location:** Earth #0115 - Subway System, Asia
> 
> **Dimension:** #1157

Two-thousand-nine-hundred-ninety-five.

Two-thousand-nine-hundred-ninety-six.

Two-thousand-nine-hundred-ninety-seven.

Two-thousand-nine-hundred-ninety-eight.

Two-thousand-nine-hundred-ninety-nine.

Three thousand.

Hyungwon closes his eyes. He waits. He counts. Darkness.

One.

Two.

Three.

He opens his eyes to start counting again, light one-

Light one doesn't come, darkness is still around him but this time it isn't only the tunnel outside that is dark, the wagon he sits in (as all the others) is pitch black. He can't see anything.

A static noise fills the air and he sits paralyzed, fear crawling up his throat.

"Hello?" Comes a robotic voice through the speakers, nothing humanlike but Hyungwon snaps his head towards the direction of the voice anyway, he awaits expectantly, eyes wide and hands shaking. "Who are you?" The voice asks and the static stops.

It's silent after that and the lights turn back on.

After calming himself down he waits for the blinding light to start counting again.

 

This time there are only one-thousand-three-hundred-twenty-one lights.

 

He can't stop thinking about the voice through the speaker, if someone is talking to him it means that they know of his existence, which means he exists in some sort of plane already where he isn't alone. Excitement creeps up on him at the thought but it terrifies him as much because after all right now his only clue to himself is his own name and it isn't much of a lead.

What are the chances of meeting someone that will know immediately who he is?

He settles into the plastic chairs and starts counting the tiles on the floor, maybe that number has changed as well.

What else is there to check? Tiles, lights, seats, metal bars, pocket-

 _Fuck,_ he thinks. He quickly moves to retrieve the pocket clock, his hands clumsy as they shake and his hope that maybe there is an indication that he exists in some sort of space make him struggle a bit to pull out the clock but once he does he nearly drops it.

The needles spin slower.

He can't quite pinpoint what it means though, only that he more and more reaches some sort of physical existence. He starts to become, not only for himself, but for others as well.

 

* * *

   

> **Time:**  X4/1X/201X, XX:XX:XX:XX
> 
> **Location:** Earth #0115 - Subway System, Asia, South Korea
> 
> **Dimension:** #1157

Dreams. They suddenly come to him.

He finds himself in a street in the middle of the day but it's empty, no one is there, except for him. He walks down the street, unbothered and uncaring, but the sounds of a car engine makes him look out. A car approaches at an alarmingly fast speed and it crashed into something, making it fly through the air, spinning, until it crashes loudly on the ground. Bits and pieces go flying, scattering on the pavement.

The driver is undoubtedly dead, his body must be crushed by the metal. Hyungwon can imagine it. His skin full of cuts and starting to get burned off by the fire that is consuming the car now, its flames slowly eating away the seats and melting the glass. He can imagine the driver's bones and organs crushed and destroyed. He can-

He can see the fire slowly fading, in slow motion, pieces move through the air to attach themselves to the car again, it's a slow process but then the car lifts up in the air, spinning backwards, through time, to the moment it crashed, all damage reversed until it's intact and it speeds back to where it came from. Once time is back to its normal speed Hyungwon can hear the engine already approaching but accompanied he hears faint, running footsteps.

He looks around and spots a young man running downs the street, frantic look on his face, in his hands he holds a watch. It's identical to the one Hyungwon has. 

 

He isn't sure if he really likes dreaming or maybe his personal dreams are just all painful and it maybe can be nice. But to Hyungwon so far it proved to be a painful and exhausting experience. Every time he wakes up he feels disoriented and sad. Plus most of his dream involve some sort of death or tragedy.

Take the dream he just woke up from: two brothers separated at young age due to the injustices of the adult world, finally the older brother has a method to find and reconnect with his younger brother only to be chased down by a group of men in suits. The older brother ends up being thrown back into his timeline while his younger brother is left behind, interrogated and tortured by the men in suit until they finally release him, understanding he really has no information and doesn't know anything about time travel.

Hyungwon hates dreaming.

And he hates that all his dreams' stories seem to be connected to him, it always feels as if he plays a bigger role in the chaos and tragedy of these people. 

 

It's the empty street again, well empty if it weren't for this one young man trying to save his friend on loop. Hyungwon has been watching the car crash over and over and over and over and- You get the gist.

He has been watching it for so long, the boy with the watch doesn't stop though he keeps trying and trying, desperation consuming him. Hyungwon can feel in the air the sadness and frustration, he can feel the need to just _save him_. Although these two humans have no meaning to him there's a part in him that wants to help, he can't watch the car crash again, he can't watch the utter hopelessness, the pain, the grief in the red haired man's face again.

He just can't.

So he makes himself visible and walks towards the young man who is currently running in the direction Hyungwon is but his attention is on the car, which speeds past them, Hyungwon stops and so does the young man, who finally seems to be aware of Hyungwon's presence. The red haired man's eyes widen as he takes in the intruder's appearance and he seems to recognize Hyungwon from somewhere because he falls onto his knees and pleads to him. It's a string of nonsensical words but in between them Hyungwon picks up the clear message.

_Please, please, please, let it be me not him._

And so he grants the wish.

 

* * *

  

> **Time:**  X4/2X/201X, 11:X5:0X:XX
> 
> **Location:** Earth #0115 - Subway System, Asia, South Korea, Seoul 
> 
> **Dimension:** #1157

He is in the middle of counting the screws in the ceiling when something catches his attention out of the corner of his eyes. It's a small red light.

Hyungwon whips his head in the direction of it but he doesn't see it; maybe he imagined it? Maybe he is starting to go mad?

He resumes his counting. Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, nine-

He sees the red light again.

He turns around again, scanning the room but there is nothing. He decides to wait, maybe it only comes in certain intervals. Then he sees the red light blink again, it comes from one of the security cameras in the wagon, it's the one hanging above the door that connects to the following wagon.

Hyungwon stares at the lens of the camera. Ten seconds later the red light blinks again. Does this mean the camera is turned on?

If so, for how long?

If so, is there someone watching him?

He walks closer to the camera and inspects it, tries to see if there is any clue, but he only sees a series of numbers that make no sense to him. He moves back to stand in front of the camera and thinks about what the hell he could do.

Should he talk? Do security cameras in trains even have audio?

He runs a hand through his hair and sits down on a plastic chair, he needs to think about what his next steps should be. Maybe the person watching him is the same that talked to him; if so are they here to help him.

What does  _help_ even mean? He doesn't know if his situation is one where he needs help, after all he doesn't even know where he is, what his role is.

He still doesn't know anything.

But he wants to.

 

It's been quite some time after he first realized the security camera is turned on because ever since then he has seen the red light blink five-hundred-fourteen times.

 

He doesn't know how he could have forgotten it but he jerks awake, the coldness of the rain he dreamed of still tangible on his face.

He forgot about his pocket watch.

He quickly pulls it out.

The hour needle has stopped on 11, the minute needle is still spinning around mindlessly but more often than not it stops on the 3 for a couple of seconds before it resumes its hectic moving. The seconds' needle is moving backwards in a a steady rhythm.

11:15

Is that what time it is currently?

 

He falls asleep again and dreams of the boy carrying his lifeless body around in a town at night while rain splatters on his face, the droplets are icy and bothersome but he can't do anything about them. Ashes cover the grounds of the town, some of the houses are still burning. The boy's face is hidden behind a mask but Hyungwon knows him, it's a friend of his of some sort but he isn't sure why he is being carried out of his home. He doesn't understand why the boy bothered to get his lifeless body out of the bathtub, the water by now probably icy cold.

Hyungwon also doesn't understand how he still has a consciousness when he died, he remembers choosing death himself so why can he still feel the rain on his face, why can he feel the tight grip his friend has on him as he stumbles through the town, why-

He wakes up.

The first thing his eyes land on is the announcement board at the back of the wagon. There are letters, numbers, and strange symbols on it. It keeps flashing, the symbols changing rapidly, it seems to be broken. But Hyungwon tries to understand it anyway.

_**04/2!/201X 11:!5:0/:=)** _

5+]$\º1"#4 ST"R@E]¡E&&T

M)=NT==0RE ST??$]A0T/$&I=O@"N

SE@^]%OU/=L#!

 

He has been watching the characters move around on the screen for god knows how long, his eyes hurt from the effort of keeping them open but he is too afraid to sleep, what if he misses something?

What if he misses his stop (wherever that might be); what if he misses someone trying to contact with him again; what if, what if, what if. He is so stressed he unconsciously has been eating away his nails and he yelps when he bites into his own flesh, droplets of blood burst out of the tiny wound. He sticks the thump into his mouth and sucks on it to stop the bleeding somehow, his attention fully back on the screen.

The characters still make no sense and Hyungwon can feel his eyelids getting heavier.  _No no no no no no no no no no no no._

In the end he does fall asleep because he wakes up, startled and heart beating painfully fast in his chest. Faster than it ever has before and his chest hurts so much, _so_ , _so_ much, almost as if someone ripped out his heart. The pain is more emotional than anything else but it is proving to turn into physical pain as he struggles to breathe properly, his lungs are shut tight and his hands start to shake. Frantic Hyungwon tries to move but only ends in falling onto the floor, he slaps his chest but the pain doesn't cease instead it grows and grows.

God, he misses- He misses- He needs to. 

He doesn't understand his emotions, he never had them and now all this yearning and sadness and sorrow and anger and desperation and longing and tiredness and, and, and, and. A feeling of utter uselessness and loss fills him and he chokes out a sob, tears rolling down his cheeks. 

He is crying.

It alleviates some of the pain that built up in his body over the past seconds but the feelings don't fade, he still misses something. _Someone_. His mind is screaming at him and it's all so loud. He cries and cries and cries until his eyes are red and all he can do is lay on the floor and stare blankly ahead. 

He tries to remember his dream but is mind is still too fogged up to properly function so his dream comes in bits and pieces. He remembers using a clock, very much similar to the one he knows is in the pocket of his jacket. But in his dream he was using it to time travel, back and forth. And he wasn't himself he was someone else, a young man around his age. He remembers embracing another young man tightly, laying kisses down the other man's throat, to his collarbone back up to finally savor his lips. It was heated and very different from the other dreams Hyungwon has had. 

But it was also the most painful one so far because he was feeling, living as someone else.

The kisses felt bittersweet. 

Then he, or the man he portrayed in the dream, was back in his flat, it was way too big and empty for him and he missed his lover. Before he could even do anything there was a loud bang coming from the entrance of his flat. He stopped dead in his tracks, glancing at the watch around his wrist and fear settled deep in his soul. _No, not now_ , he thought, _please not now_. 

But men dressed in suits entered the room violently, not caring that objects fell down as they made their way over to him, he struggled with the button on his watch as fear turned him clumsy and they got to him before he could travel somewhere else, some time else.

They grabbed him forcefully and shoved him into a chair, they ripped off his watch and stored it away into a box. Some of the men left, including the one holding the box with his watch. Two other men stayed, one kept him secured to the chair, another one searched his apartment, turning everything upside down, destroying his belongings.

Later. Much later, when both men dressed in suits were gone he finally broke down into tears, rubbing his chest trying to decrease the awfully stinging and burning pain in his chest.

To no avail.

Hyungwon doesn't understand what this man has to do with him but he does remember the small initials carved into the watch. _CHW_.

 

* * *

  

> **Time:** 04/24/201X, 01:15:28:00
> 
> **Location:** Earth #0115 - Subway System, Asia, South Korea, Seoul - > 514 Street, Montre Station
> 
> **Dimension:** #1157

Hyungwon is concentrated watching his pocket watch, the needles are ticking away at a reasonable speed. For once it is showing an actual time, one-fifteen o'clock. Even the needle for the seconds is moving accordingly, currently at the twenty seconds' mark.

The announcement board makes sense as well, fifteen minutes ago, at exactly one, the letters slowly settled for a very specific date and location.

_**04/24/201X 01:15:28:00** _

514 STREET

MONTRE STATION

SEOUL 

The seconds' needle is almost on thirty seconds when a loud swishing noise fills the air. Hyungwon looks up startled and witnesses how out of the thin air people come crashing into the wagon. Six boys to be specific.

He opens his mouth in surprise but before he can even say anything the first boy that appeared approaches him, pulling out a pair of glasses from the pocket of his plaid dress up shirt, he puts them on, blinks repeatedly until his eyes settle on Hyungwon, he takes in his appearance, a hesitant smile slowly appearing on his face.

"You're CHW?" The boy asks, behind him the other boys approach as well, all equally as hesitant and curious.

Hyungwon knows them all, he has seen them in his dreams.

"I am Chae Hyungwon," he replies.

The boy with the glasses and black hair frowns for a split second before he seems to realize something, letting out a quiet _oh_.

"I see," he nods his head slowly, then points at the five boys behind him. "Chae Hyungwon, we're here to help you."

 

* * *

 

**> Command="open"**

{

open "Chae_Hyungwon"

}

<opening Chae_Hyungwon...>

>Would you like to download "Memories"? Y/N

>Y

<downloading Memories...>

> **Download completed!**


	2. err0r

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> > **Command="delete"**  
>  {  
> delete "chw"  
> }  
> < errno.h >  
> {erro=;=0000  
> >d8))))(&&  
> >;=====00000000  
> >0  
> >C"HW"=0C4NT.BE;;;DEL???TE&D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know nothing of programming and if you are a programmer I AM SO SORRY FOR THIS MESS!!!
> 
> I literally looked up tutorials on youtube and the internet and gathered enough to make this look cool enough and passable but yea I took a LOT of liberties with this and just went for it lmao
> 
> And if you don't know shit about programming like me this is probably really confusing in the beginning lmao I'm sorry but I hope it somehow makes sense??
> 
> Anyway, enjoy! :D

 

> **MARCH 28TH**

 

#include <sequence.h>

int main ( ) {

create_sequence (from "m" to "x")

return (0);

}

<errno.h>

{error 05} ;

 **Error type:** intruder detected

> **Command="find"**

{

find "intruder"

}

<errno.h>

{error 14} ;

 **Error** **type:** intruder not found

>Track name of intruder? Y/N

>Y

<tracking...>

>chw

> **Command="delete"**

{

delete "chw"

}

<errno.h>

{erro==0000} ;

>d8))))(&&

>&=====00000000

>0

>C"HW"=0C4NT.BE;;;DEL???TE&D

>ERROR

>ERROR

>ERROR

> **Command="restart"**

{

restart_system

}

<restarting...>

>|

>fu|

>fuck.

<errno.h>

{error 00} ;

 **Error type:** could not run function "fuck."

 

* * *

 

**From: honey**

it's 11pm when will you be home?

**To: honey**

fuck

sorry babe i wasnt paying attntion to the time

ill be home soon

**From: honey**

did something happen?

**To: honey**

i had to restart and everyhting was deleted

i dont knoe how to explain this to the teacher tomorrow

**From: honey**

what do you mean you had to restart?

**To: honey**

it was weird

there was this error

some virus

and i havent been able to delete it

**From: honey**

what the fuck?

what kind of virus?

**To: honey**

thats the thing

there is no information on it

i tried a couple of times

but all i hvae is a name

chw

**From: honey**

chw?

that's a weird name for a virus

**To: honey**

i am aware

im omw to the train

ill explain more once im home

**From: honey**

don't forget to bring food!!

I'm craving some take out chicken !!!!!

**To: honey**

youre quite expensive mr lee

but

i made some extra cash last week so

**From: honey**

love you daddy

**To: honey**

blocked

 

* * *

 

> **APRIL 6TH**

 

> **Command="track"**

{

track "chw"

}

<tracking...>

<errno.h>

{error: 15} ;

 **Error type:** unable to track

> **Command="find"**

{

find "chw_port"

}

>Port: !"&

>Location: )???==);SK

<errno.h>

{error: 1157} ;

> **Error type:** &((##;

> **Command="connect"**

{

connect_to "chw"

}

<connecting...>

>Would you like to download "File_#_0000000"? Y/N

>Y

<downloading File_#_0000000...>

> **Download completed!**

> **Command="open"**

{

open "File_#_0000000"

}

<opening File_#_0000000...>

>Title: #0000000

?$!%%!="M

<errno.h>

{error: 126} ;

 **Error Type:** file corrupted

> **Command=""**

{

}

>\cancel

 

* * *

 

**To: honey**

babe

help

**To: honey**

jooheon

where are you?

i need your help

fuck

 

* * *

 

> **Command="find"**

{

find ")???==);SK"

}

>SE=((O;L;;;TH;;K\"";

 

* * *

 

**From: honey**

sorry I was in class

what is it?

**To: honey**

its this weird virus again

**From: honey**

you mean chw?

the one that appeared last week?

didn't we agree you just ignore it?

**To: honey**

yeah but

**From: honey**

but?

**To: honey**

i was in the computer lab and bored

and i got curious if this virus is only on my computer

**From: honey**

and is it?

**To: honey**

no

it seems as if it exists anywhere

i tried out three different computers

and all of them immediately malfunction as soon as i mentioned chw

**From: honey**

huh

I wish I could come over but I have another class in ten minutes

**To: honey**

ugh

**From: honey**

please update me on it!

**To: honey**

will do

for now i have a corrpted file and some other corrupted info

**From: honey**

so... not much

**To: honey**

no

 

* * *

 

>Show on map? Y/N

 

* * *

 

**To: honey**

_[IMG_806]_

what does this mean?

show on map?

what the fuck is this?

 

* * *

 

>Y

<opening external_map...>

<errno.h>

{error 180415} ;

 **Error type:** can't open "external_map"

>Would you like to download "external_map"? Y/N

>Y

<downloading external_map...>

 

* * *

 

**From: honey**

that's

say no

changkyun

fuck please tell me you didn't say yes

who knows what this even is

**To: honey**

too late

its downloading me a map

**From: honey**

I hope this virus miraculously doesn't affect the uni's software because...

**To: honey**

dont worry

 

* * *

 

> **Download completed!**

> **Command="open"**

{

open "external_map"

}

<opening external_map...>

 

* * *

 

**To: honey**

_[IMG_807]_

does this seem familiar to you?

**From: honey**

yeah

but fuck

I can't say for sure why

**To: honey**

me neither

wait im going to send it around

maybe someone recognizes it

**From: honey**

arent you getting a bit too much into this?

**To: honey**

i know

but theres just something abuot this

i dont know what exactly

i cant pinpoint it

but jooheon

this is

i think its something big

**From: honey**

or maybe you have been watching too much Mr Robot

**To: honey**

who made me watch taht in the first place?

**From: honey**

touché

 

* * *

 

> **APRIL 10TH**

 

**Group chat: _< function type= hit that ass>_**

**ck**

guys help

does this map seem familiar to any of you?

_[IMG_807]_

**TY**

weirdly enough yes

but can't say from where

**v**

uh oh kyun what have u been up to

**ck**

nothing

its for a friend

**v**

sure, jan

but to answer ur question

i dont think ive seen it before

sry

 

* * *

 

> **Command="show_on_external_map"**

{

show_on_external_map "SE=((O;L;;;TH;;K\"";"

}

<errno.h>

{error: 225###=?6} ;

 **Error type:** location not valid

 

* * *

 

> **APRIL 12TH**

 

> **Command="contact"**

{

contact "chw"

}

<contacting...>

<contacting...>

<contacting...>

>Please enter your message for "chw";

>Hello?

>Who are you?

> **Message sent!**

 

* * *

   

> **APRIL 14TH**

  

****Group chat: _< function type= hit that ass>_** **

**zeus**

Oh!!!

I know it!

 

**TY**

what

**zeus**

The map Changkyun sent some days ago

**v**

i honestly forgot abt that lol

**ck**

wait, seriously?

you know it?

**zeus**

Yes

I am 90% sure it's one of the bus/subway trajectories

**ck**

elaborate

**zeus**

You know the maps that show all the lines and their stops

**ck**

yea

huh

okay

interesting

thank you

**zeus**

No problem :D

**TY**

now that you say it...

**Chan**

to me it looks like nonsense

**ck**

thanks, chan, for your help

really

**Chan**

no problem :D

**zeus**

:(

 

* * *

  

> **Command="track"**

{

track "chw_trajectory"

}

<tracking...>

> **Command="download"**

{

download "seoul_bus_plan"

}

<downloading seoul_bus_plan...>

> **Command="download"**

{

download "seoul_train_plan"

}

<downloading seould_train_plan...>

> **Command="download"**

{

download "seoul_subway_plan"

}

<downloading seoul_subway_plan...>

> **Command="track"**

{

track "0000000_trajectory"

}

<tracking...>

 

* * *

 

**To: honey**

so jungwoo thinks it might be a like a subway map

**From: honey**

hmm I can see that

but

why would a virus show you that?

**To: honey**

i have no idea

im running a couple of different commands

i dont think they will lead to aynthing

but at this point im desperate and just trying out whatever comes to my mind

**From: honey**

can you pass me pics of what kind of information you have so far?

I told Minhyuk about it and he is hooked

**To: honey**

...

_[IMG_808]_

_[IMG_809]_

_[IMG_810]_

_[IMG_811]_

**From: honey**

thanks!

**To: honey**

ugh this is taking forever

i might have to try this out on the laptop at home

 

* * *

 

> **APRIL 15TH**

  

>Seoul_Official_Bus_Lines

>Seoul_Official_Train_Lines

>Seoul_Official_Subway_Lines

>XM_Formula

>ANDREW_CARLSSIN

 

* * *

 

**To: honey**

do you know a certain andrew carlssin?

**From: honey**

who?

is this once again about chw?

babe... shouldn't you be in class?

**To: honey**

jooheon

**From: honey**

fine.

let me see what I can find

wait 

lol

**To: honey**

what

**From: honey**

I'm working with this guy on a project and he apparently knows this Carlssin guy

what a nerd

anyway so, Andrew Carlssin was a self proclaimed time traveller from the year 2256

he got arrested because he was involved in some illegal business but he vanished after his arrest

there are no clues on where he went

idk

it's on google

**To: honey**

huh

thanks

 

* * *

 

> **Command="download"**

{

download "XM_Formula"

}

<downloading XM_Formula...>

> **Download completed!**

> **Command="download"**

{

download "ANDREW_CARLSSIN"

}

<downloading ANDREW_CARLSSIN...>

> **Download completed!**

> **Command="open"**

{

open "XM_Formula"

}

<opening XM_Formula...>

 **>** Title: XM

<errno.h>

{error 115000} ;

 **Error type:** file has been emptied previously

> **Command="open"**

{

open "ANDREW_CARLSSIN"

}

<opening ANDREW_CARLSSIN...>

>Title: Andrew Carlssin

>Time traveller skips town

>Would you like to open "Subfile_26_go_8019"? Y/N

>Y

<opening Subfile_26_go_8019...>

>Title: 26고8019

>Subject A has been replaced by Subject B manually. ID #514 has broken following laws: Rule 1-Section A & Rule 3-Section C, that under Paragraph §26 state NOT to be broken, if done so, execution is imminent. Call in ID #514 for immediate interrogation.

  

* * *

 

> **APRIL 17TH**

  

**To: honey**

this is so fucking weird

this virus is letting me do commands that arent even supposed to work

**From: honey**

babe

its 3am

why are you still awake?

more importantly why aren't you in bed with me?

**To: honey**

jooheon

**From: honey**

yeah yeah

I'm coming

 

 

* * *

  

>Would you like to download "File_&&&===28:00"? Y/N

>Would you like to download "File_VOICEMESSAGE"? Y/N

>Would you like to download "File_XM"? Y/N

> **Command="download"**

{

download "File_XM"

}

<downloading File_XM...>

> **Download completed!**

>Would you like to open "File_XM"? Y/N

>Y

<opening File_XM...>

>Title: X=M

>X415%!="M

<errno.h>

{err)(&=???} ;

 **Error type:** UNKNOWN CHARACTERS

> **Command="learn"**

{

learn "UNKNOWN_CHARACTERS"

}

>?

>%%%%%%5

>?

>10

>?

>222###22=====""=#####

<errno.h>

{error 1006} ;

 **Error type:**?

 

* * *

  

> **APRIL 19TH**

 

**From: +82-2-1006-x**

Hi!

My name is Yoo Kihyun

I share a class with your boyfriend, Lee Jooheon

He recently told me about the virus you have encountered, "chw"

He showed me some of the pics of the logs

I discovered something that might be helpful

** To: Yoo Kihyun **

hi kihyun

what do you mean you discovered something?

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

Well the XM formula

We are studying different time formulas in class at the moment

One of them stuck out to me, mostly because it's a nonsensical one, it's about time travel

Someone created a time travel formula or well... tried to

It's a bit of a physics joke tbh

** To: Yoo Kihyun **

aha..

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

Anyway

The dude never got to finish the formula, he died before he had the chance

Since I'm a bit of a nerd I have tried to crack it

At first I was a bit lost

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

understandable

i might program but if you put formulas in front of me i will gay malfunction

** From: Yoo Kihyun **

Haha that sounds like my friend

But actually that's where my story is going next

My friend Hoseok came to pick me up from class

He saw me struggling with the formula and he pointed out the fact that

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

that???

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

_[IMG_514]_

_[IMG_515]_

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

what the fuck

fuck

oh my god

what

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

Yeah...

I'm kind of freaking out

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

i think we should meet up

 

* * *

  

> **APRIL 21TH**

 

> **Command="find"**

{

find "X=4155102M"

}

>%!$

>IP_#_67

>CCTV_Password_IP_#_&/

> **Command="open"**

{

open "%!$"

}

<opening %!$...>

>514 Street, Montre Station

> **Command="open"**

{

open "IP_#_67"

}

<opening IP_#_67...>

>Would you like to view "CAMERA_05"? Y/N

>Y

>Please enter a password

>[] [] [] []

>\cancel

> **Command ="open"**

{

open "CCTV_Password_IP_#_&/"

}

<errno.h>

{error 9} ;

 **Error type:** could not read name of document

> **Command="open"**

{

open "CCTV_Password_IP_#_67"

}

<opening CCTV_Password_IP_#_67...>

>11:15

> **Command="open"**

{

open "IP_#_67"

}

<opening IP_#_67...>

>Would you like to view "CAMERA_05"? Y/N

>Y

>Please enter a password

> [1] [1] [1] [5]

<opening Camera_05_TRAIN_4155102...>

 

* * *

 

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

I know I asked this before, but you really don't know who the guy on the train is?

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

i dont

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

Because to me he seems oddly familiar

I think I have seen him before somewhere

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

jooheon says the same

so does minhyuk

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

And you're possitive you have NOT seen him before?

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

...

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

So you have.

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

fine, yeah

im pretty sure i dreamed of him some months back

this is too weird

all of this

**From: Yoo Kihyun**

Wait

Shit

Hoseok

Brb

**To: Yoo Kihyun**

???

 

* * *

 

> **APRIL 24TH**

 

> **Command="track"**

{

track "TRAIN_4155102"

}

<tracking...>

>Destination: 514 Street Montre Station

>Arrival time: 01:15:28:00

>Passengers: 1

> **Command="contact"**

{

contact "passenger"

}

<contacting...>

>Please enter your message for "passenger";

>Hello? CHW!"#=0

>/"==)%/|#(=?¿!]+@#\%&

<errno.h>

{error ?} ;

 **Error type:** ?

>ERROR

>%&#(/?[\\(="@(=$?

>=?¡%&/\\\=)//#@!$

>Please enter name of "Traveler_01";

>chw

<processing...>

> **ERROR WRONG NAME**

>4155102

<processing...>

> **ERROR WRONG NAME**

>X=4155102M

<processing...>

> **ERROR WRONG NAME**

>im chan|

>im|

>|

>im c|

>im chang|

>im chagkyun

<processing...>

> **Valid!**

>Please enter name of "Traveler_02";

>lee|

>lee jooh|

>lee jooheon

<processing...>

> **Valid!**

>Please enter name of "Traveler_03";

>yo|

>yoo ki|

>yoo kihyun

<processing...>

> **Valid!**

>Please enter name of "Traveler_04";

>le|

>lee minh|

>lee minhyuk 

<processing...>

> **Valid!**

>Please enter name of "Traveler_05";

>s|

>shin hos|

>shin hoseok

<processing...>

> **Valid!**

>Please enter name of "Traveler_06";

>so|

>son hyu|

>son hyunwoo

<processing...>

> **Valid!**

>Would you like to download "I_N_T_R"? Y/N

>Y

<downloading I_N_T_R...>

> **Download completed!**

>Title: Travel information

>Train departures at 01:15:29:00, 514 Street, Montre Station

>CHW waits in wagon 05

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *In the group chat:  
> TY -> Taeyong (NCT)  
> Zeus -> Jungwoo (NCT)  
> V -> Taehyung (BTS)  
> Chan -> Yuchan (A.C.E)
> 
> * * *


	3. begin and end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Entry #95**  
>  March, 23  
> He didn't visit me today.
> 
>  **Entry #96**  
>  March, 24  
> Just like yesterday, once kendo practice was over he didn't appear.  
> I waited for three hours.  
> I wonder what happened. Is he okay?
> 
>  **Entry #101**  
>  March, 29  
> I dreamed of a train traveling endlessly without stopping anywhere.  
> Only one man was on but I couldn't see his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was a bit unsure about this idea at first bc it's kinda strange ahjhdfd but yea thank you ily

> **Entry #25**
> 
> January, 12

Today's dream wasn't eventful, at least not from what I can recall.

I worked at the shop in the town, Minhyuk seemed to be upset about something but he didn't further elaborate.

My father's condition worsened.

 

> **Entry #28**
> 
> January, 15

Minhyuk dragged me to a secret meeting, apparently a new group of people came to town to talk about liberation and rebellion.

I was scared the whole time that the authorities would discover we were out during nighttime but we didn't encounter any guards.

The preach was interesting, although I couldn't see their faces (they wore masks).

 

> **Entry #33**
> 
> January, 20

Minhyuk was extremely distressed today, he couldn't focus at all during work. He constantly dropped things and messed up everything.

I asked him what was wrong and he almost started crying.

I am worried about him.

At night we went to another secret meeting, they made us drink a blue liquid. It tasted strange, I think it was some type of alcohol.

 

> **Entry #41**
> 
> January, 28

Minhyuk broke down today after our shift and confessed he dates the doctor's son. He told me the doctor abuses his son because of it.

It's weird being in this dream realm with Minhyuk and he isn't dating me but someone else. 

But when I woke up he was by my side and I realized dream-Minhyuk might look like my Minhyuk but they aren't the same person. 

It calms me down a bit but it's so strange. I don't understand the point of these dreams.

 

> **Entry #47**
> 
> February, 3

My father died and it felt so real. I woke up with tears running down my cheeks and awful chest pain.

I went alone to another preach, I talked to the leader. I asked him for guidance.

He told me to join their cause.

I am considering it.

 

> **Entry #48**
> 
> February, 4

Hell went loose.

The rebellion started. Houses burned down. The doctor's house was the first one to get caught in flames.

I didn't see the faces of the pyromaniacs but one of them dressed oddly similar to Minhyuk. Can't blame him.

It felt so real, the way the flames warmed my face, the smell of gasoline and paper getting burned.

It was all so, so, real but then I woke up.

I don't know what happened to my father; did he burn in the house together with the money?

 

> **Entry #49**
> 
> February, 5

They are dead. Minhyuk and his boyfriend. I don't know the cause for sure but I found blue flower petals on the floor next to the bathtub and it wasn't hard putting two and two together. (It was awful seeing Minhyuk's dead face, when I woke up I felt so relieved I cried.)

They lied to us this whole time.

There is no liberation

There is no escape.

 

> **Entry #50**
> 
> February, 6

Ashes cover the town in the morning. Me and one of the guys that joined the rebellion group wandered around, guns in hand, trying to find someone, but it was vacant.

 

> **Entry #51**
> 
> February, 7

I died. We all did in the end.

That was the escape.

We walked down the path, the seven of us.

 

* * *

  

**Creativity Section, Edition #121, February 27th**

_"Tunnel to liberation"_

_126x145cm, oil painting c. 201X_

_Son Hyunwoo, Art Student Year 4_  

In this particular piece we can see a dark hallway, no apparent source of light, yet the man standing in the middle of it is lit up, his back to us as he stares up to something we can't see. It gives off an eerie feeling as if there is something we are missing, something we should be seeing as well but can't.

It's yet another mysterious and nostalgic piece from Son Hyunwoo. I am happy to announce that we will be working together on a painting soon.

-Lee Minhyuk, Art Student Year 3

 **Contact:** _l.minhyuk93@hanmail.com_

 

* * *

 

> **Entry #73**
> 
> March, 1

Today I dreamed of a dojo.

I was dressed in a kendo outfit, practicing for some competition.

As the official practice was over a man my age suddenly materialized out of thin air in the room. I seemed to know him as I approached him to hug him tightly.

He is familiar for some reason. Not just familiar in the sense that dream-me knows him, but I am sure I have seen him before, outside of the dream realm.

 

> **Entry #77**
> 
> March, 5

He came today as well, it seems he is a time traveler. We talked for hours (what of? I'm not sure, I don't remember) and it was an incredibly nice aura.

Before he parted we kissed.

His lips were soft.

It feels weird though because I have Minhyuk.

Dream-me seems to love this time traveler, though.

I felt incredibly sad after he left, a kind of sadness I have never really experienced before in a dream.

 

> **Entry #86**
> 
> March, 14

Today the man came again, at this point it's routine, but he seemed far away with his thoughts, not focused on our practice. He stared at his watch more than usual.

I wonder; is he running out of time to visit me? Is the watch broken?

I am worried about him, dream-me is worried about our relationship.

Dream-me is so in love with him it hurts when I wake up.

No other dream has felt this painful.  

 

* * *

 

**Creativity Section, Edition #124, March 20th**

_"Lost Wanderer"_

_204x70cm, oil painting c. 201X_

_Son Hyunwoo, Art Student Year 4_

An interesting piece indeed, the sadness is palpable. Our subject (the painter himself; it doesn't happen often that a painter is bold enough to insert themselves into their paintings other than Self Portraits) finds himself in a relaxed posed in what seems to be a practice room*, he seems to be exhausted, tired out from the physical exertion. His eyes are on the man sitting beside him, the look of adoration is clear.

But what stands out more is the strong pain that hides in his gaze. There is some sort of yearning. For what, is the question, the object of his adoration is right beside him. Or is it?

Lets focus on the young man sitting next to Hyunwoo, he seems to be around the same age, dressed in the same practice outfit as the main subject, equally as exhausted and tired. His attention though, isn't focused on Hyunwoo, instead we find him looking at what seems to be a strange looking watch, the grip he has on it is tight, which could indicate that it's important him or perhaps he is struggling with something. The look on his face would suggest so, his jaw is clenched and his eyes are full of sorrow.

It's only a split moment represented and yet this painting presents an infinite possibility of stories of what exactly could be going on in between these two individuals.

-Lee Minhyuk, Art Student Year 3

 **Contact:** _l.minhyuk93@hanmail.com_

*A/N: After consulting Hyunwoo himself he explained it's a kendo practice room.

  

* * *

 

> **Entry #95**
> 
> March, 23

He didn't visit me today. 

 

> **Entry #96**
> 
> March, 24

Just like yesterday, once kendo practice was over he didn't appear.

I waited for three hours.

I wonder what happened. Is he okay?

 

> **Entry #101**
> 
> March, 29

Last night I dreamed of a train traveling endlessly without stopping anywhere.

Only one man was on but I couldn't see his face.  

  

> **Entry #103**
> 
> March, 31

Today's dream was strange because I lived through the point of view of someone else. I think it was a hacker or at least someone that does programming.

There was something bothering this boy, something he couldn't understand. I felt his frustration even hours after being awake.

(Minhyuk knows someone that does programming but after saying that the boy in my dream had dark hair he shook his head, his friend has blonde hair.)

 

* * *

 

**Creativity Section, Edition #126, April 10th**

_"Codes"_

_50x14cm, coal sketch c. 201X_

_Son Hyunwoo, Art Student Year 4_

Not what I expected to be reviewing when Hyunwoo first messaged me at 4am in the morning to tell me his next piece is done, but... I guess it is interesting. We might ask ourselves who or what CHW is but while doing so we would miss the probably biggest focus on this drawing: the reflection of the hacker themselves.

We see an outline of a masculine face, round glasses sitting atop the bridge of his nose, hood drawn over what seems to be very dark hair (possibly as black as the coal Hyunwoo used to sketch this). His mouth is parted in concentration.

If you are wondering who or what CHW is, worry not because the hacker doesn't know himself. Maybe Hyunwoo painted this with one of the big questions that plague us humans throughout our lives in mind, or maybe he watched some hacker show and got inspired.

Look forward to next week's art expo where you can find Hyunwoo and I's art collection plus the very awaited piece we worked on together. I'd be very grateful if some of you, my readers, would show up. (Psst, food and drinks are for free!)

-Lee Minhyuk, Art Student Year 3

 **Contact:** _l.minhyuk93@hanmail.com_

 

* * *

 

> **Entry #112**
> 
> April, 11

The man in the train is trapped in a void in time and space and it doesn't seem as if he can get out of there.

When I woke up I felt so lost, it took me some seconds (and a lot of reassuring from Minhyuk) to understand I wasn't trapped.

I want to know who this man is but I haven't seen his face once again.

  

* * *

 

Yoo Kihyun | April 11th 201X, 09:34AM

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> **To:** _l.minhyuk93@hanmail.com_
> 
> **From:** _yooki4@hanmail.com_
> 
> **Subject:** Your Entry on Edition #124

Good morning Mr Lee,

I am deeply concerned about one of your entries to the uni's newspaper. I have been a fan of your art reviews for quite some time now. I am a Year 3 Physics student but with a minor in Photography and the whole art section always has produced me great pleasure, be it Mr Son's pieces, your entertaining reviews, Mr Min and Mr Seo's weekly photography section...

All in all I am a fan but in one of the more recent editions (Edition #124 to be specific) you reviewed one of Son Hyunwoo's paintings, _"Lost Wanderer"_ and as beautiful as the piece is I would like to ask what kind of inspiration Son took? The man that sits with him is painfully identical to my close friend.

It isn't an university mystery to know that you and Son Hyunwoo are romantically involved so I would like to know why exactly he painted himself with my close friend, staring at him with what seems to be a lot of affection.

I am sorry if this email seem to come off as aggressive or something, I just want to know. Because I am concerned.

Best regards,

Yoo Kihyun

 

SEND \- ATTACH DOCUMENT - DELETE

**⋈⋈⋈**

Lee Minhyuk | April 11th 201X, 08:09PM

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> **To:** _yooki4@hanmail.com_
> 
> **From:** _l.minhyuk93@hanmail.com_
> 
> **Subject:** RE: Your Entry on Edition #124

Good evening Mr Yoo,

I understand your concerns, it is indeed very strange, but to insinuate that my boyfriend has a secret relationship with your close "friend" is disgusting and downright insulting. You are calling Hyunwoo a cheater and I won't stand here taking it.

First of all, I expect an apology letter, thank you.

Second of all, a close "friend"? To me that looked rather like you were jealous.

Third of all, the important part, I would like to meet your friend, the one that Hyunwoo painted.

See the thing is for months now Hyunwoo has been having very vivid dreams and he often takes them as his inspiration. Recently his dreams are story like and your dear friend is featured in one of them. So I think it would be highly interesting if Hyunwoo actually could meet one of the subjects of his dreams.

We can discuss this further if you want to but perhaps with a nice cup of coffee in one of the uni's cafeterias.

My phone number is: +82-2-415-x

xoxo,

Lee Minhyuk

PS: Could we please drop the Mr's, we aren't 50 year old men. Just call me Minhyuk.

 

SEND \- ATTACH DOCUMENT - DELETE

**⋈⋈⋈**

Yoo Kihyun | April 12th 201X, 06:54AM

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> **To:** _l.minhyuk93@hanmail.com_
> 
> **From:** _yooki4@hanmail.com_
> 
> **Subject:**  RE: RE: Your Entry on Edition #124

Good morning Minhyuk,

I am sorry if I offended your and Hyunwoo's relationship that wasn't my intention, it truly wasn't. I apologize. But understand that at first glance it seemed very suspicious.

I agree we could further discuss this in person.

Cordially,

Kihyun

PS: Stop with the quotation marks around the word friend, I am working on it...

 

SEND \- ATTACH DOCUMENT - DELETE  

**⋈⋈⋈**

Lee Minhyuk | April 12th 201X, 10:01AM

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> **To:** _yooki4@hanmail.com_
> 
> **From:** _l.minhyuk93@hanmail.com_
> 
> **Subject:** RE: RE: RE: Your Entry on Edition #124

Ha, knew it!

 

Sent from my iPhone.

 

SEND \- ATTACH DOCUMENT - DELETE

 

* * *

  

> **Entry #116**
> 
> April, 13

I was the hacker in last night's dream again and I tried to contact with the virus that has appeared in the software around the last days of March. He hasn't found any leads yet but he thinks perhaps it is possible to reach out to this virus or at least the creator of it.

He doesn't think it will lead to anything.

Then the dream shifted to the man in the train, he seemed distressed and paced around a lot until he finally settled on the blue chairs again.

 

> **Entry #119**
> 
> April, 16

My first ever dreamception.

I was the man in the train and I fell asleep as him. He dreamed of a car crash.

It was chaotic and I don't know how many times I have seen the car crash but by now I know every single detail of it.

I didn't feel sad or guilty. Just incredibly detached as I watched it happen. At least those were my emotions as the man in the train.

When I woke up I felt anxious about the car crash, the man in it was oddly familiar although I can't pinpoint exactly why that is.

 

* * *

 

**Creativity Section, Edition #127, April 17th**

_"Who are you?"_

_89x218cm, acrylic painting c. 201X_

_Son Hyunwoo, Art Student Year 4_

In this piece we see the painter, Hyunwoo, break the fourth wall. It is obvious that title of the painting is addressed at the subject painted. The man standing in the wagon is faceless while everything else is painted into detail, even the lines on the man's suit are extremely detailed.

But his face remains blank.

It seems as if the painter struggles to find the identity of the subject, instead choosing to let out his frustration of the unknown by leaving out the face of the man. If you get close enough to the painting you can see that the blank spot isn't even painted on, Hyunwoo didn't bother to waste white paint for this, he simply perfectly left a piece of the canvas to be visible.

The title is the obvious question and the individual standing in the wagon, _Who are you?_ is a perfect example of an artist breaking that fourth wall, quite like I could do right now but I think my readers wouldn't appreciate that. So I won't.

-Lee Minhyuk, Art Student Year 3

 **Contact:** _l.minhyuk93@hanmail.com_

 

* * *

 

> **Entry #120**
> 
> April, 17

I was the hacker again but it was completely different from any other dreams in the past weeks. 

He hung out with his boyfriend who I have learned now is the same man from the car accident.

I have as well come to meet both the hacker and his boyfriend outside of the dream realm and I'm starting to believe we all were meant to meet.

I have met the man from the dojo as well.

It feels as if all of us are connected.

I keep seeing the same faces over and over again.

But I don't know why.

The only one I can't see is the man in the train. Do I know him as well?

  

> **Entry #122**
> 
> April, 19

I didn't dream tonight. I think it is because everything in my dreams is transcending into the real world. The people are here with me. They're all real.

Except that they aren't quite like they were in my dreams.

Then again the worlds in my dreams aren't this one.

 

 

> **Entry #125**
> 
> April, 22

I finally saw the face of the man in the train, he is young, around my age. (Like I suspected he is familiar, I'm sure I have seen him before.)

He stared directly into my eyes.

Or well that is what it felt like, I don't think I was in the wagon actually with him, but rather looking at him from some kind of outer point of view.

Maybe through a window or a camera.

He seems restless and on edge. Very much like I do feel these days.

Maybe his emotions are transcending through dimensions as well and affecting me.

Things in the real world have been hectic and confusing and we are on the brink of discovering who he is. 

Then we are going to save him.

 

> **Entry #126**
> 
> April, 23

The man in the train, CHW, I'm assuming is his name, seems to know something is about to happen as well, he keeps checking his pocket clock repeatedly, and his gaze falls more often than not on the announcement board (which still reads strange symbols mixed with letters and numbers).

But we are on our way to help him.

Maybe this will be my last entry ever.


	4. prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> > **Command="reinstall"**  
>  {  
> reinstall "Memories"  
> }  
> < reinstalling... >  
> 0000000  
> $000000  
> $!00000  
> 4000000  
> >Would you like to view "Memory_#_4000000"? Y/N  
> >Y

> ****Command="open"** **

{

open "Memories"

}

<opening Memories...>

>ID #514

>Reinstall

>Delete

> **Command="reinstall"**

{

reinstall "Memories"

}

<reinstalling...>

0000000

$000000

$!00000

4000000

>Would you like to view "Memory_#_4000000? Y/N

>Y

 

* * *

   

> **Memory #4000000**

Hyungwon enters a coffee shop, it's busy around this time of the day as people are on their lunch break and rush to the nearest place that sell food and drink, one of those happens to be this shop. The name reads _Traveler_ , he allows himself a small laugh as he lets the door fall shut behind him. He walks over to the bar counter and spots the waiter, tall, black haired, thin lips, strong jaw line, a faraway look in his eyes. He seems to be thinking about something, Hyungwon senses the sadness in him and decides, yes this is _him_. He carefully, as to not get seen by anyone, sets one of the watches he spent hours building on a nearby table where a customer just left. He places the watch delicately under the newspaper said customer was reading.

Hyungwon catches one of the smaller headlines. _Time Traveler Skips Town!_ , he frowns at that and feels fear crawl up his body until it constricts his throat. He doesn't stop to read the article to see if there are clues in it about an actual time traveler gone berserk or if it is just a stupid headline that ultimately doesn't lead anywhere.

He doesn't have time, funnily enough, he is on a tight schedule before he has to be back to the Main Office. He walks down the busy street in Seoul towards his next stop. He has observed this individual for a long time, more than the others, at first he simple seems like someone struggling from depression but after deciding to follow him around for over a year, follow his every movement, follow him _everywhere_ Hyungwon's suspicions turned out to be right. This individual was missing someone too, a lot more than he lets out.

Hyungwon walks into the building this young man works in and walks up the stairs he has grown familiar with over the past year until he stands in front of a small window, he slides in the watch and counts down ten seconds. The young man's break is over and he will be back inside the small room to be receiving people's requests. Just as expected after Hyungwon counts down to one the door on the other side of the window unlocks and the young man with red hair walks in, looking exhausted and apathetic.

Hyungwon presses the button on his own clock and watches as reality fades around him and he materializes one year back in time, in his room by the Main Office, where his superiors will walk in any minute to do a routine check.

They call it a routine check but Hyungwon knows the target specific travelers who they suspect are up to illegal business, might go astray from the rules and laws of time and space, or simply are too much like humans still.

Hyungwon might be in all three categories of those but he covers his tracks well.

  

* * *

 

<reinstalling...>

4!00000

4!%0000

4100000

>Would you like to view "Memory_#_4100000"? Y/N

>Y

  

* * *

 

> **Memory #4100000**

Hyungwon sits in a really uncomfortable chair, it's hurting his back and the fact that his whole body is tensed up doesn't help the situation. He can't help shaking his leg rapidly as he wrings together his hands and stares ahead. He fucked up. Big time.

Rule number one: _don't interact with humans._

But of course he went and broke one of the only rules there are to being a time traveller, of course he had to let that emotional side of his that ties him to his previous life (before becoming what he is today) take control over him and feel some sort of empathy to the human that so desperately was trying to save his loved one.

Hyungwon should have walked away, non caring, but instead he had felt his heart turn heavy as the human had kneeled in front of him, face contorted in a mask of pain and desperation, pleading him to  _please, please, please, let it be me not him_. And Hyungwon had watched as the car, once again, flew into the air, spinning around before crashing to the floor with extreme force, bits and pieces flying everywhere, its passenger undoubtedly dead already, his bones crushed, his skin torn, all warmth gone from his body.

Hyungwon should have ignored it but... _he couldn't_. It's a fault he carries around ever since he first entered this world as time traveller. Behind his back they talk about him, that he is too soft hearted, too much like a human still... It infuriates him just as it fuels his desire to go against all they are supposed to be even more. But this time-

This time he fucked up beyond repair because not only did he interact with a human but he changed their fates.

Hyungwon is dragged out of his thought by loud footsteps coming from one of the hallways, a group of Punishers come running, passing by him, talking to each other loudly and excitedly.

"-after all these years of searching we finally found a reliable source-"

"-back and forth only to relive one day-"

"-if we're on time we might arrest him finally-"

"-the Boss is going to be delighted to hear we caught him after all these years of-"

They disappear and momentarily their talking distracts Hyungwon and he tries to make sense of their words. It's not as if he keeps up much with other time travelers, it's not really something in his interest, specially because they all talk shit about him; why would he keep up with them? But there is a particularly interesting story that has been around for as long as he can remember, it stands out from other time travelers gone berserk because the person using the watch is a human.

One day, Hyungwon doesn't remember when specifically it was, chaos erupted in the main Time Building, Punishers running around distressingly without any lead; time travelers of every dimension were requested to come in, Hyungwon included. News were, a human stole a time traveler's watch. The time traveler never revealed themselves, they never found them. They didn't find the human that day, nor the one after that, nor a week later.

At some point most forgot about it or pushed it into the back of their minds, but once in a while a sudden lead would resurface from this case. The human is a young man around 24, he travels into the past, he has a lover he visits, etc..

None of them were ever enough to catch him.

Until now, Hyungwon guesses.

He thinks about the last lead they found on this man some months ago, he lives in the year 2047.

Before he can further think about the case the Punishers return, satisfactory smiles on their faces, one of them hold a glass box, inside is a watch. The Watch. Hyungwon watches them walk back up the hallway they came from before, he guesses they're on their way to meet the Boss to gloat about their success.

Hyungwon wonders where the young man is, he would have liked to see him at least once.

"I.D 514, please come to the Main Office," comes a voice from the speakers and Hyungwon jumps up in his seat.

He swallows down the lump in his throat. Time to face his superiors and possibly getting punished for his actions.

 

* * *

 

<reinstalling...>

41%0000

41%%000

4150000

>Would you like to view "Memory_#_4150000"? Y/N

>Y

 

* * *

   

> **Memory #4150000**

"Your time here is over, do you want to continue elsewhere or give up your watch?"

Hyungwon thinks about it. He could be free of his duties, he could choose to die in the human way instead of continuing this immortal life that holds no real purpose as there are so many limitations to it, rules and commands to follow. But he thinks of the people he brought together, he thinks of the people he is connected to; what would happen to them if he ceased to exist?

"I'll _continue_ ," he says, voice sure and confident. The ticket seller raises his eyebrows but prints out a ticket to hand him.

"Then, as you wished: a ticket to nowhere. Be careful though, I've heard some end up traveling forever without ever getting anywhere."

"I'll take the risk, thank you."

"Why?"

"Attached to my soul is an invisible string, it leads to six other people. And they will find me, one way or another. One time span or another, I'll always end up with them. I trust them to find me."

 

* * *

 

<reinstalling...>

415%000

415%!00

4155000

>Would you like to view "Memory_#_4155000"? Y/N

>Y

 

* * *

  

> **Memory #4155000**

Hyungwon sits in a train, again. He has lost count of how many times he has been in here, there's no point in keeping track. After all he will end up in this exact same place as time only progresses and new dimensions are created while others waste away.

What a funny thing, time and reality.

The air around him thickens and it gets hard to breathe, if he were to have super vision he would see the molecules in the air expanding and see the atoms separate as they open path to another dimension, but all he sees with his human eyes is the way everything gets blurry for a second, stretching out and in like a wave and then six boys stumble into the train. He knows them, of course he does. Their fates are connected over and over again, over time, over realities, over worlds.

He has learned that now. He remembers them now. Other times he might not.

They seem to know him as well, for what reasons, he isn't sure this time. There could be infinite reasons they have ran into each other in this reality.

"Are you _I.D 514_?" A boy asks with tomato red hair, he is well build but rather small in height.

"Yes," Hyungwon replies and nods. _I.D 514_ it is this time.

"I think this belongs to you," another one of the boys says, he has black hair and is tall and skinny, he has sharp features but his eyes are soft, and hands him a watch. Not just any watch. Hyungwon has given him the watch at some point.

"Thank you," he takes the watch and watches the needles spin uncontrollably. Right now they don't exist in a plane where time exists so the watch is pretty much useless until they reach a station. (Or well, rather than a station, an earth-like dimension.)

"Where are we going?" A third boy asks, he is the smallest of them and he has dark blonde hair, he wears a beige jacket that is two sizes to big on him.

"Wherever you want."

  

* * *

 

<reinstalling...>

4155!00

4155!=0

4155100

>Would you like to view "Memory_#_4155100"? Y/N

>Y

 

* * *

    

> **Memory #4155100**

_Hit._

It stings, the force of the hand slapping his face. He wants to leave, he wants to run away.

He wants to be free.

_Hit._

It hurts, the fist colliding with his jaw. He wants to fight back, he wants to hurt his abuser.

He wants to escape.

_Hit._

It knocks the air out of his lungs, the kick to his chest and stomach. He hates his father.

He wants to die.

_Hit._

It knocks him unconscious, the force of the kick directly to his head. He misses his boyfriend.

The world fades into darkness around him.

  

* * *

 

<reinstalling...>

41551=0

41551="

4155100

>Would you like to view "Memory_#_4155100"? Y/N

>Y

 

* * *

    

> **Memory #4155100**

Once he wakes up the first thing he thinks is, _death is unnervingly peaceful._

But he can't be dead, can he, if he woke up?

Hyungwon looks around and notices he seems to be in a hospital bed, next to him, at the foot of the bed sits his boyfriend and the sight brightens his mood momentarily until he remembers the bathtub, until he remembers the blue liquid he drank. If his boyfriend is here it means he died as well.

Hyungwon sits up, his body free from any pain, which doesn't exactly make sense as the last thing that happened before he drowned himself was getting beaten up by his father. Maybe he did die and a life after death is real.

His boyfriend doesn't move, he sits still on the floor, but Hyungwon does move, he gets up, out of the bed. His feet touch the ground and he hisses at the coldness but ignores it, choosing to walk around the room. At first glance it seems vacant except for the bed, him, and his boyfriend but upon further inspection he notices a door at the far end of the room. He decides to walk towards it.

One-hundred-twenty-six steps later he stands in front of the door and with one last glance at the unmoving body of his boyfriend he reaches out his hand to the handle, grabbing it tight and pushing it downwards, the door unlocks and he pushes it open slowly.

There's a noise that sounds oddly close to glass getting broken, only in his mind though, and once the door is completely open there is nothing behind it but he steps forward anyway. The noise in his head only intensifies.

If he didn't know better he would explain it as reality falling apart.

The seems break, his vision blurs and clears, it shifts, the noise is filtering and there is a fluttering, a string of different noises he has never heard before. Almost like the piano notes, the higher ones, on the right end, getting played in a specific order, but it isn't a piano because he hasn't heard it before. It's difficult to explain.

Everything around him fades away and he stands (if that even is possible when there is nothing) in complete-

He just is. That's all. Just him.

_Tik tik tik._

A faint ticking noise sounds around him and he doesn't understand what it means, where it comes from. But once it grows louder he realizes it comes from him and confused he searches his pockets. There in his left trouser's pocket he finds a watch, it's not a regular watch.

 

* * *

 

<reinstalling...>

415510"

4155102

>Would you like to view "Memory_#_4155102"? Y/N

>Y

 

* * *

 

> **Memory #4155102**

Hyungwon walks into a big room, clocks hang from the walls. He can't count them, there are too many.

He clutches the watch in his hand tight and approaches the desk that is in the middle of the room. A woman sits behind it, she gives him a once over.

"Chae Hyungwon," she says and he nods, it isn't a question but the tone indicates she demands an affirmation or declination. "ID number is 514, please take a seat and wait until you're called."

He nods again and moves to a row of chairs, they're blue and for some weird reason they seem familiar to him, as if he has sat on similar chairs before.

 

* * *

 

> **Reinstallation completed!**

>Would you like to exit the program? Y/N

>Y

 

* * *

 

Hyungwon opens his eyes and remembers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had like 5 different endings for when the installation was complete and i wasn't sure which one to use but i settled for this one lmao
> 
> thank you for reading ♡

**Author's Note:**

>  **tumblr**  
>  @immr


End file.
